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Too much time-wasting, top players say

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Modified: June 30, 2014 at 3:09 pm •
Published: June 30, 2014

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LONDON (AP) — Rafael Nadal tugging at his shorts and doing his usual pre-serve routine. Novak Djokovic bouncing the ball more than a dozen times. Maria Sharapova facing away from the court between serves. Countless players going to the towel point after point.

Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark plays a return to Barbora Zahlavova Strycova of the Czech Republic during their women's singles match at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships in Wimbledon, London, Monday, June 30, 2014. (AP Photo/Sang Tan)

These are some of the things that have people at Wimbledon talking about whether there needs to be stronger enforcement of rules that set time limits between points. One possible solution that keeps coming up: instituting a basketball-style shot clock.

Defending champion Andy Murray came out strongly in favor of the idea Monday.

"I think it's the only way to go, to be honest, because how are you supposed to know as a player how long 20 seconds is or 25 seconds between a point?" he said after beating Kevin Anderson in straight sets to reach the quarterfinals.

Murray said a clock would eliminate any surprises.

"If it's right there for everyone to see, then there's no arguing from the player's side," he said.

Caroline Wozniacki said that she'd endorse the idea. Roger Federer feels that television viewers might be turned off — and tuning out — because of the time delays and feels shot clocks are inevitable.

Former No. 1 Wozniacki, who lost her fourth-round match 6-2, 7-5 to Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, said she felt her Czech opponent was taking longer than the 20 seconds allowed between points.

"I thought she was very slow," Wozniacki said. "But I guess the referee, she has the time on it. If she's within the time, I guess it's OK."

So a time clock would be fine with her.

"I wouldn't mind," Wozniacki said. "You have a clock. It shows exactly how much time you take in between points."

Zahlavova Strycova said if she was taking too much time, she should have been warned.

"The referee would tell me 'speed up' or 'hurry up' on your serve, I would maybe change it," she said. "But I didn't get any warning or something like that, so I was just following the rhythm I had."